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Three Spanish citizens have been kidnapped in the West African country of Mauritania, according to reports.They were travelling in a convoy on the road linking the capital Nouakchott to the city of Nouadhibou, media reported.

Two men and woman were taken by armed men, with one report saying a fourth person managed to escape.

They had reportedly been delivering aid to Nouadhibou and were also dropping off donations along the route. Authorities were searching for them.

The kidnapping happened near the town of Chelkhett Legtouta.

Spanish news agency EFE reported that trio worked for a non-government organisation called Barcelona-Accio.

Other reports described them as tourists.

In August a suicide bomber has set off an explosion outside the French embassy in Nouakchott, injuring two guards.

Mauritanian authorities have in the past blamed Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb for attacks.


These included an attack by gunmen on the Israeli embassy in Nouakchott in February last year, and the killing of four French tourists in December 2007.